Gasoline drum cover



Mar. 20, 1923.

G. DYER. GASOLINE DRUM COVER.

FILED APR. 19, 1920.

Patented l ttle-tr. 2i), i923.

GASOLINE DRUIJI COVER.

Application fiIed April 19, 1920. Serial No. 374,978.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Gnonon Dvnn, a citi- Zen of the United States residing at Wallaceton, in the county of lfw ortolk, and State of Virginia, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Gasoline Drum (lovers. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in closures and particularly to means whereby the closure may be locked upon a receptacle to prevent unauthorized use of the contents of the receptacle, and which closure prevents water from gaining access to the receptacle.

An important object of the invention is to provide the closure with locking means which may be manipulated from the outside of the closure only by the party who possesses a key to the lock.

Another important ob ect of the invention is to provide locking means for a closure which means are adjustable to adapt the closure to receptacles having various sized filling openings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is strong, durable, inexpensive to manufacture and highly eliicient in practice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part oi the application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a plan view of the invention applied to the under side or a closure.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse section through the device taken on the line 3-43 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates a closure or cover which has its central point highest so as to drain oif snow, rain and other matter not intended to be placed thereon. Although Ihave particularly devised the invention for use in. connection with gasoline drums. the upper portion of which is designated by the numeral 2 as clearly seen in Figure 2. it is obvious that the invention may be used as other closures. The drum in this dients may be employed instead of the flange 3 such as recesses in the sides of the receptacle; therefore as it is only necessary to provide the receptacle with oppositely disposed shoulders, the flange may be referred to as shoulders.

To the under side or the closure 1 secure a diametrically extending strap 4 by means of rivets or other suitable meana and it will be noted that opposite ends oi the strap terminate short of the edges of the closure. One end of the strap is formed into a pair of oppositely diverging fingers 6 the ends of which are adapted to project be yond one edge, of the closure as clearly shown. The ends of these fingers 6 are adapted to a portion of the under side of the flange 3, while the edge or" the closure engages with the top of the flange.

The medial. portion oi the strap is provided with an opening 7 in which is pivoted one end of a movable locking element 8 by means of a suitable bolt or rivet 9. A second opening 10 is provided in the strap at the end thereof opposite to the fingers 6, and groove ill communicates with both these openings and the central opening. As seen in Figure 2, this groove 11 receives the major portion of the locking element, while the free end thereof covers or closes the opening 10. The closure is also provided with an opening 12 which is disposed directly over the opening 10 whereby a loop 13 secured to the locking element may pro ject through the openings to have its free end disposed above the closure. A string or twine is secured to the loop for a purpose which will presently appear, and it is to be understood that a padlocln not shown, may be associated with the loop to lock the locking element in a locked position.

In order that the device may be adapted to receptacles having various sized openings, an arm 15 is adj ustably associated with the free end of the locking element. The innermost end of this arm is slotted as at 16 whereby bolts 17 carried by the locking element may extend therethrough while nuts lS nay be threaded upon the bolts to maintain the arm in any desired adjusted position. The free end of this arm projects be yond the edge of the closure to be engaged with the under side of a portion of the inturned flange 3 of the receptacle.

lVhen it is desired to position the closure upon a receptacle, the locking element 8 is permitted to swing downwardly of the closure, while the operator retains his hold upon the twine 1a so that the locking element may be positioned when it is so desired. The closure is then tilted in relation to the receptacle so that the free ends of the fingers (3 may be positioned to engage the under side of portions of the inturned flange 8. The closure is then swung so that the opposite side thereof from which the fingers project comes into close proximity with the top of the receptacle so that the edges of the closure rest upon the upper surface of the flange? By means or the twine 14, the locking element may be swung upon its pivotuntil the free end of the adjustable arm engages with the under side of an in turned flange. At this time, the loop 18 will projectthrough and above the opening 12 in the closure and the shackle of a padlock I may be passedthrough the loop and snapped in a locked position. Consequently, it will then be impossible for any unauthorized person to remove the closure.

The fore 'OiD descri tion and the drawing has reference to the preferred or approved li'orm of my invention. It is to be understood however, that I may make such changes in construction and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination with a receptacle, of a closure therefor, a strap secured to the under side ofthe closure and extenijling across the same and having one end provided with diverging fingers adapted for engagement with one side of said receptacle, said strap and closure having aligned openings near the opposite end thereof, a lockin arm pivoted to said strap intermediate its ends 

